Lepaine Sharp-McHenry Chosen for National Leadership Program
Posted on 6/10/2009
Lepaine Sharp-McHenry, assistant director of the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing at the University of Arkansas, has been selected to participate in the Leadership for Academic Nursing Program sponsored by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
Through its educational programs, research, governmental advocacy, data collection and publications, the association works to establish quality standards for bachelor's and graduate degree nursing education, to assist deans and directors to implement those standards, to influence the nursing profession to improve health care, and to promote public support of baccalaureate and graduate education, research and practice in nursing.
Sharp-McHenry, an R.N. with a master's degree as a psychiatric mental health clinical nurse specialist, joined the faculty of the nursing school in January as a clinical instructor. She taught in the nursing school previously as an adjunct instructor and full-time faculty member. She was chosen for the leadership program through a competitive application process and will attend a five-day seminar in August in Kansas City, Mo., that addresses multiple executive leadership topics, numerous assessment experiences and the opportunity to utilize an experienced mentor.
The fellowship, a yearlong program, is designed to develop and enhance leadership skills in new and emerging administrators in baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs and to prepare participants to accept academic leadership positions of increasing responsibility, including the role of dean or director of the nursing academic unit.
"My diverse background has afforded me the opportunity to gain a front-line perspective of nursing education, practice and regulation," Sharp-McHenry said. "This fellowship affords me the opportunity me to further hone my current leadership competencies. I believe this combination of experiences uniquely aligns with those needed to assist our nursing program to becoming one of the best in the nation. It also demonstrates the university's commitment to faculty development and retention."
Sharp-McHenry has worked in various clinical and management positions in long-term care, medical/surgical and psychiatric mental-health settings. Her responsibility has involved financial, personnel, education, material and clinical management in each of these settings. She has developed and presented educational training programs for administrators, managers, nurses and allied health professionals. Sharp-McHenry is recognized as an expert in geriatric clinical management and nursing administration of long-term care services. She has worked as a legal nurse consultant for more than 10 years serving as an expert witness in abuse, neglect and malpractice cases.
She has also held numerous leadership roles on the local, state and national levels, including serving as president of the Arkansas State Board of Nursing and vice president of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. She recently completed one year's service on the Governor's Roundtable on Health Care.
The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing is based in the College of Education and Health Professions.
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